CHANGES IN WELFARE

In the 1960's we, Isabel and I, were deeply involved in politics under the leadership of our very good friend, Henry A. Kiker, Jr., Chairman, Bernalillo Democratic County Central Committee. We even had a monthly newsletter. The following is from the August, 1963 issue. It illustrates the extent of our involvement on a particular issue, in this case Public Welfare.

Public relief has a long history going back almost to earliest recorded times. In the early years, it was believed that poverty reflected a weak character and that relief was further damaging to people. It was believed that relief cases should be treated with a punitive attitude and relief given in humiliating ways. As case work in private agencies began to take hold this view began to disappear and it became recognized that many factors were at work. These were of two types, realistic and social. The former are such facts as unemployment, insufficient wages, bad housing, etc. The latter center around the personality of the client. The panic of 1929 made it clear that private charity could not handle the increasing load of unemployed and by 1933 the federal government actually entered the picture. Between wars and during the 1950's knowledge of the practice of social case work increased tremendously. The 1962 amendments to the Social Security Act permit more flexible local rules allowing greater emphasis on rehabilitation, more skilled personnel, and smaller case loads. These improvements allow more time to individualize cases and to plan on the basis of knowledge. Against this background the present Board of Public Welfare appointed by Governor Jack M. Campbell has proceeded to carry out its public charge. It is our hope to reaffirm a public welfare system which will sustain and strengthen its clients, and enable them to more adequately realize their potential, and to fulfill their various social roles.

We have made several policy changes intended to make the above objectives possible. These are as follows:

1. Policy was changed to allow granting assistance to families while a parent is actively participating in a training or a re-training program under Vocational Rehabilitation Services or similar programs. It is our view on the Board that through rehabilitation such families can again become productive and self-supporting.

2. Policy was changed to allow unannounced visits by the case worker to clients' homes. While we believe this cannot always be possible, some such visits we hope will uncover information which may help to reveal ineligibility in some cases.

3. The plan for implementing the Rehabilitation program has been applied. In toto, the plan covers Staff Development; separation of cases into two groups, those that have the possibility of being rehabilitated and those that have not; and the provision of family services aimed at making clients productive and self-supporting.

4. Policy was changed to subtract earnings by clients deductible from their total budgetary needs rather than from the amount of public assistance grant. The objective is to encourage clients to seek work and to become self-supporting rather than to discourage them by removing incentive.

5. Policy has been changed which we hope will encourage marriage of unattached female clients with children. Heretofore, the case-worker has frequently found that a client had a relationship with a man, out of wedlock, from this relationship more children were produced, thus increasing the public assistance rolls. In many cases such a man is of marginal income himself, but would be willing to marry the woman if he did not have to take on the added responsibility of supporting her previous offspring, not his. He is willing to support those he has fathered. After much deliberation the Board changed its policy to continue food, clothing, and medical payments to the previous off-spring. It is our belief that this change will encourage marriage and provide a stable family setting to all affected; the mother, the previous children and the new children as well.

The above changes in policy are those that this Board has made which we feel will pay dividends in the long run and will "sustain and strengthen the public assistance clients and enable them to realize their potential, to fulfill their various social roles."

In doing these things we foresee a realistic and equitable reduction of public assistance rolls and the best return on the tax dollar appropriated for Public Welfare.

Note - Thought that you would like to know that Hot Rod Daddy-O was way ahead of William Jefferson Clinton in efforts to change WELFARE AS WE KNOW IT!

I was talking W O R K F A R E way back in 1963!!

Oh well, just way ahead of my time again!

Read On! Enjoy!